Drogue parachute assemblies with elastomeric insert sleeves

Abstract

A multi-staged drogue parachute assembly may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-staged drogue parachute assembly, comprising:
 a suspension line including a primary length and a secondary length, wherein the secondary length is folded; 
 an elastomeric insert coupled between a first portion of the secondary length and a second portion of the secondary length; and 
 a sleeve coupled to the primary length of the suspension line, wherein the sleeve includes a first sleeve section and a second sleeve section, and wherein the first portion of the secondary length and the second portion of the secondary length are located with an interior volume defined by the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section. 
 
     
     
       2. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a bundling line coupled to the suspension line, wherein the bundling line is configured to secure the secondary length; and 
 a cutter configured to sever the bundling line and release the secondary length. 
 
     
     
       3. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first thread coupling at least one of the first sleeve section or the second sleeve section to the primary length; and 
 a second thread coupling the first sleeve section to the second sleeve section. 
 
     
     
       4. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a thread coupling at least one of the first sleeve section or the second sleeve section to the primary length, wherein the sleeve is folded to form an apex connecting the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section. 
     
     
       5. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric insert is located within an internal volume of the secondary length. 
     
     
       6. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first stitching coupling a first segment of the elastomeric insert to the first portion of the secondary length; and 
 a second stitching coupling a second segment of the elastomeric insert to the second portion of the secondary length. 
 
     
     
       7. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a third segment of the elastomeric insert is located external to the suspension line, the third segment extending between the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
       8. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric insert includes:
 a first segment located within an internal volume of the suspension line; 
 a second segment located within the internal volume of the suspension line; 
 a third segment located external to the suspension line and extending between the first segment and the second segment; 
 a fourth segment located external to the suspension line and extending from the first segment to a first end of the elastomeric insert; and 
 a fifth segment located external to the suspension line and extending from the second segment to a second end of the elastomeric insert. 
 
     
     
       9. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth segment is coupled to the suspension line by at least one of an adhesive or a heat bonding. 
     
     
       10. The multi-staged drogue parachute assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth segment includes at least one of a crimp or a knot configured to block the fourth segment from translating into the internal volume of the secondary length. 
     
     
       11. An ejection system, comprising:
 an ejection seat; and 
 a multi-staged drogue parachute assembly coupled to the ejection seat, the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly, comprising:
 a canopy; 
 a suspension line coupled to the canopy, the suspension line including a primary length and a secondary length, wherein the secondary length is folded; 
 an elastomeric insert coupled between a first portion of the secondary length and a second portion of the secondary length; 
 a sleeve coupled to the primary length of the suspension line, the sleeve including a first sleeve section and a second sleeve section, wherein the first portion of the secondary length and the second portion of the secondary length are located with an interior volume defined by the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section; and 
 a riser coupled between the suspension line and the ejection seat. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The ejection system of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly further comprises:
 a bundling line coupled to the suspension line, wherein the bundling line is configured to secure the secondary length; and 
 a cutter configured to sever the bundling line and release the secondary length. 
 
     
     
       13. The ejection system of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly further comprises:
 a first thread coupling the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section to the primary length; and 
 a second thread coupling the first sleeve section to the second sleeve section. 
 
     
     
       14. The ejection system of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly further comprises a thread coupling at least one of the first sleeve section or the second sleeve section to the primary length, and wherein the sleeve is folded to form an apex connecting the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section. 
     
     
       15. The ejection system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric insert is located within an internal volume of the secondary length. 
     
     
       16. A method of testing a multi-staged drogue parachute assembly, comprising:
 deploying a primary length of a suspension line of the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly, wherein the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly includes:
 the suspension line, wherein the suspension line comprises the primary length and a secondary length, 
 an elastomeric insert coupled between a first portion of the secondary length and a second portion of the secondary length, and 
 a sleeve coupled to the primary length of the suspension line, wherein the sleeve includes a first sleeve section and a second sleeve section, and wherein the first portion of the secondary length and the second portion of the secondary length are located with an interior volume defined by the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section during deployment of the primary length of the suspension line; 
 
 increasing a tensile load applied to the sleeve; 
 severing a coupling between the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section in response to the tensile load applied to the sleeve exceeding a threshold tensile load; and 
 deploying the secondary length of the suspension line. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising severing a bundling line coupled to the primary length of the suspension line, wherein in response to severing the bundling line, the tensile load is applied to the sleeve by the secondary length of the suspension line. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the coupling between the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section comprises a first thread sewn between the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly further comprises a second thread sewn between the primary length of the suspension line and at least one of the first sleeve section or the second sleeve section. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein severing the coupling between the first sleeve section and the second sleeve section comprises severing a thread sewn between the primary length of the suspension line and at least one of the first sleeve section or the second sleeve section.